Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: A Hawaii Memoir Trilogy
Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise is a beloved, True Hawaii memoir trilogy. Explore all 3 volumes. The first is now available completely for free on all of the major stores!
When Andrew answers the call to Hawaii, he expects a summer of beaches and adventure. What he finds instead is the beginning of a journey that will change his life forever.
From “extreme picnicking” on the fiery rim of a lava lake to chance encounters with UFOs and mystics, his days unfold like a dream.
Drawn into the wild community of Puna, he discovers black sand beaches, ecovillages, and unforgettable characters who open his heart in unexpected ways.
But beneath the beauty lies something deeper: the challenge of transformation. What begins as a spontaneous trip becomes a test of courage, love, and belonging—ten thousand hours that gradually redefine home, purpose, and what it means to truly live.
Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival is the first volume of a completed memoir trilogy, chronicling one writer’s leap into the unknown and the breakthroughs that follow. If you love true stories of adventure, spiritual discovery, quirky characters, and the magic of Hawaii, you’ll be swept into a journey that only grows more intense with each volume.
Start the trilogy today. Step into a true story that goes far beyond paradise.
Readers Rave
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “The book has a wonderful way of transporting the reader with engrossing clarity. I even learned some new things about my island home that I didn’t know!” — Catarina Zaragoza, Big Island Business Owner
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival is a leisurely and inspiring travelogue. While reading it, I felt a new urge to see Hawaii.” — Andrew Durso, Biologist, Ph.D
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Andrew takes us around Hawaii island, starting from an outsider’s perspective and slowly moving into the local culture. A great read if you like adventure or are interested in the magical place that is Hawaii island!” — Zoe Eisenberg, Local Filmmaker & Writer/Producer of STOKE
“I bought this book directly from the author at Uncle Roberts market…To be honest, I did not expect such well-written material, and I never write reviews… so, that tells you this material is exceptional. The author is engaging, genuine, and weaves a wonderful story of his adventures on the island.
After being on the island, it was like a 2nd adventure for me to read about the places I visited. I highly recommend this extremely entertaining book, and I found I looked forward to every night when it was my reading time… when I finished, I immediately wanted more.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Vivid description of Andrew’s adventures as a work-trader and hitchhiker in paradise. If you want to experience life from this angle, read this book!” — Roberta Johannson, Big Island Local
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “I found it extremely difficult to put down… I was compelled to find out what was going to happen next!” — Garret Dent
🌋 What happens when paradise stops distracting you and starts showing you who you really are?
Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Tribulations continues Andrew’s true journey on the Big Island of Hawaii, picking up exactly where Volume 1 left off and turning inward, toward the most difficult terrain of all.
A routine hitchhiking ride introduces a new person into Andrew’s life and an invitation he can’t ignore: a ten-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat.
What begins as curiosity quickly becomes a radical experiment in awareness. In total silence, with no distractions and no stories to hide behind, he learns to observe his thoughts without attachment, confront buried trauma without narrative, and witness firsthand the impermanent nature of everything he thought he was.
As the days unfold, paradise takes on a new meaning. Old emotional patterns surface. Unrequited love reveals itself in a different light. And on his birthday, a message arrives from beyond the grave that feels impossible to explain and impossible to forget.
✨ Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Tribulations chronicles a deep inner transformation on Hawaii, through meditation, vulnerability, and radical self-inquiry. Luminous, honest, and immersive, Tribulations blends spiritual depth with real-world Hawaii adventure for readers drawn to true stories of healing, consciousness, and the unsettling beauty of change.
Continue the journey today. Take the next step deeper into paradise:
The peace Andrew found in the silence of the meditation hall is about to be tested by fire.
In the remote district of Puna, a river of molten lava creeps toward the main road, threatening to sever the only lifeline to the outside world. As the fire advances, Hurricane Iselle—the first recorded hurricane to make landfall on the Big Island—screams toward the coast, turning a tropical dream into a raw battle for survival.
But the most intense storm is the one happening within.
Guided by a Hawaiian elder, Andrew is initiated into the sacred wisdom of laulima and ho‘oponopono—ancient practices for healing old wounds and releasing the past. Just as he learns to find his center, a radiant new love enters his life, but she comes with a countdown.
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to the trilogy, Andrew must navigate the collision of nature’s fury and the delicate art of surrender. The Big Island offers beauty beyond measure, but it demands a final price: the courage to change or be consumed by it. To stay whole, Andrew must choose: cling to the life he built, or let the fire burn away who he was so he can finally become who he is meant to be.
✨ The Epic Conclusion to the Acclaimed Trilogy. With hundreds of five-star reviews and thousands of readers already captivated by this series, Reckoning weaves together natural disaster, spiritual awakening, and the timeless truth that love prevails all trauma.
The road ends here. Finish the journey. Experience the Reckoning.
